A Tale Dark and Grimm – Henry Selick to Direct New Fairy-Tale Movie

Acclaimed stop-motion director and cult movie hero Henry Selick is to direct a new fairy-tale film based on Adam Gidwitz‘s children’s novel, A Tale Dark and Grimm. The news comes just in time for Hallowe’en, and for fans of Selick’s dark and creepy style of kids’ films, A Tale Dark and Grimm will be a welcome addition to a back catalogue that includes such classics as Coraline, The Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach.

The original novel follows familiar characters Hansel and Gretel as they venture out of their own story and travel through eight other fairy tales. Its official synopsis helps give an idea of what we might expect from the film:

“An irreverent, witty narrator leads us through encounters with witches, warlocks, dragons, and the devil himself. As the siblings roam a forest brimming with menacing foes, they learn the true story behind the famous tales, as well as how to take charge of their destinies and create their own happily ever after. Because once upon a time, fairy tales were awesome.”

Selick is of course no stranger to book-to-film adaptations, and much of his previous work suggests a passion for interesting and inventive children’s stories. Said Selick of Gidwitz’s novel:

“I remain completely enraptured by Adam Gidwitz’ marvelous book A Tale Dark & Grimm. It’s a hilarious, deeply inventive tale about survival in the world of fairytales and what it takes to forgive one’s parents. So it’s a huge thrill to be joining the team of Kamala Films and FilmNation as the director of the film based on it.”

Despite this, many people may be surprised to learn that this latest endeavour will not, like most of his better known films, be stop-motion animated, but will instead take the form of a live-action feature. Still, as The Mary Sue points out, Selick doesn’t exactly have the best track record for finishing films he starts, probably largely as a result of the painstaking and time-consuming nature of his preferred medium. Perhaps then, the decision to work differently will help ensure that this movie actually gets made.